The Enid Blyton Society

Years ago I came across what I think was a book of adventure/mystery short stories by the great woman. Many of the pages were missing.

All I can remember from what I did read was that one of the stories involved (I think) a black Wolseley car and a camera that was found in a hedge. There was also, in what I assume was a different story, an old book whose pages were uncut and which may have been dedicated to someone called Lucian.

Ring a bell with anyone?

I wonder if you're thinking of Happy Adventure Tales (Purnell Sunshine Library), Kilkennycat:

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/book ... ture+Tales" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It has a story called 'Adventure in the Afternoon' in which Jack takes photos of cars from a hedge and then walks along the road, where he tries to snap a black police car which is a Wolseley. In another story, 'The Secret Door', Dick looks at a book in a library in an old house and says, "Here's one that I'm sure nobody has ever read - 'History of Edward Lucian, born 1792, in the parish of Elham!' Why, half the pages are still uncut. Poor Edward Lucian!" Dick's brother Robin remarks, "Lucian is our family name. Perhaps he was a great-great-great ancestor of ours." That makes their sister Lucy Lucian!

If you put those two story titles into "search" in the Cave of Books, you can see what other collections they also appeared in, e.g. The Secret Door and Other Stories.

Anita, you are incredible.

For some reason, the Wolseley car and the book with the uncut pages stuck in my mind too!

Anita Bensoussane wrote:I wonder if you're thinking of Happy Adventure Tales (Purnell Sunshine Library), Kilkennycat:

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/book ... ture+Tales" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It has a story called 'Adventure in the Afternoon' in which Jack takes photos of cars from a hedge and then walks along the road, where he tries to snap a black police car which is a Wolseley. In another story, 'The Secret Door', Dick looks at a book in a library in an old house and says, "Here's one that I'm sure nobody has ever read - 'History of Edward Lucian, born 1792, in the parish of Elham!' Why, half the pages are still uncut. Poor Edward Lucian!" Dick's brother Robin remarks, "Lucian is our family name. Perhaps he was a great-great-great ancestor of ours." That makes their sister Lucy Lucian!

If you put those two story titles into "search" in the Cave of Books, you can see what other collections they also appeared in, e.g. The Secret Door and Other Stories.

FanTAStic! Thank you so much. If you ever enter Mastermind I've a feeling I know what your specialist subject will be...

My specialist subject will be The Life and Times of Edward Lucian of Elham!